Automatic lock for switch-stands



e. A. LAW. AUTOMATIC LOCK FOR SWITCH STANDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI. I919.

1,358,37 v Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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G. A. LAW.

AUTOMATIC LOCK FOR SWITCH STANDS. I

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. I9I9.

1,358,376. Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. LAWQ OF MECHANICSVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0THOMAS F. HICKEY, OF MEGI-IAN'ICSVILLE, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC LOOK FOR SWITCH-STANDS.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Application filed May 21, 1919. semi No. 298,732.

chanicsville, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, haveinvented-certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Locks forSwitch-Stands, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to automatic locks for switch stands and hasfor its object the provision of improvements whereby the key must beallowed to remain in the lock it the stand is to be operated, and whenthe key is removed, the lock will automatically close;

further, to provide a'novel lock, particularly adapted for use inconnection with switch stands but which may have a more generalapplication; still further, to provide an automatic lock for switchstands having a novel controlling guard with which the key cooperates,said guard preventing the look from being opened, and preventing theswitch stand from being rendered operative unless the proper key isused.

My improved controlling guard constitutes an important element of theinvention. This guard is in the form of afreinovable part which can beinterchanged with other guards of different formation whenever it isdesired that another style or kind of key be used; furthermore, theimproved guard permits the automatic lock to'be used in con nection withany key used by the particular railroad on which the switch stand isprovided. As the prineipalrailroads have dif ferent keys for theirswitch stands and the keys for the switch stands oi: one railroad willnot serve to open the locks of the switch stands of another railroad, myinvention provides for its adaptability to use on any switch stand bythe provision of a controlling guard adapted to the form of key used onthe particular railroad, thereby enabling the lock to be made instandard form, adaptable for use on any railroad with provision for theapplication of a controlling guard of the particular kind required forthe keys used on the railroad in question. This fea-' ture hasgreatpractical advantages because the standard typefofswitch stand isnow in use on the principal railroad systems My improvements maybeapplied to the lever of any standard switch stand, or, maybe embodiedin the lever and the latter substituted for the ordinary type of lockinglever anda controlling guard used according to the key employed for theswitch stands of the railroad in question. i

I am aware that my improved lock is adapted for other uses than onswitch stands. the essential principles of the invention are retained,and the disclosure of the invention is to be considered as illustrative,rather than restrictive, of the scope thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation of a switch stand provided with myinvention, in locked condltion; i f

Ifig. 2 a similar View, the top of the lock caslng having been removedand the key being shown in positioinready to be operated to unlock thestand; i

Fig. 3 a detail view of the lock with its cover removed, the key, beingshown in unhilodifications may be resorted to if Fig. 6 a detail view ofthe cover or face plate of the lock'.

The column of the stand appears at 1, the

stem which controls'the switch is shown at 2, the lever appears at3, theslidable polygonal'locking member is designated 4: and 7 adapted toenter the polygonal socket 5 in the column 1; links (iconnect thelocking member l to the lever 3. Thelocking member i has an ear ortongue 7 provided with an opening 8.

li iy improved lock may form apart of the lever 3 when the latter ismanufactured, or, it may be applied to any standard lever, such as usedon switch stands of the type shown. The lever carries a casing 9protitled with an opening 10 through which the ear or tongue 7 isadapted to pass through the interior of the casing 9. The

casing 9 has a top or cover 11 which maybe I suitablysecured as, forinstance, by rivets or other fastening whichcannot be readily removed.The cover 1 1 is provided with a hollow projection 12 to receive the endof the tongue or ear 7 when the parts are locked. I

Secured to the casing 9 are cross pieces 13 and 14 which may be fastenedby any suitable devices 15, in each instance. The hook shaped latches 16which are adapted to enter the eye 8, have their tails pivoted to theparts 15 of the cross piece 14 and are free to swing betweenthe crosspiece 1 1 and the casing 9 but are normally pressed. toward lockingposition by springs 17 con tained within the casing and having theirends anchored in slots in the crosspiece 13 as shown at 18; I

Slidable through the cross piece 13 and.

guided thereby so that it can only move in a straight path, is theoperating member- 19 which has forks-20 adapted to bear on the tails ofthe hook shaped latohesrl6. The

lower end of the operating member 19 is provided with converging arms21. Shoulders 22 prevent the member 19 from dropping past the positionshown inIFig. .2. Filler blocks, 23 may be provided. When the operatingmember 19 is movedupwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to thatshown in Fig. 3, the forks 20 by their en ,gagement with the tails ofthe hook shaped latches 16 retract the heads of the latches from lookingposition and release the tongue 7 An improved controlling guard 24': ispivoted at 25 to the casing 9 and provided with a notch 26 and a wing 27havinga curved surface 28. The wing 27 overlies the lower end of theoperating member 19 and is relatively thin. One of the arms 21 isadapted to enter the notch 26 and thereby the member 19 is normallylooked as shown in Fig. 2. A stud or pintle 29 is adapted to receive thekey 30, which is usedfor operating the look. If the key 30 be turned toengage the arm 21 which enters the notch 26, the member 19 cannot beunlocked and shifted because the controlling guard 24 prevents anyshifting of the actuating member 19, except when the guardis released.Consequently,

, the lock cannot be forced byan ordinary key in the manner specified.On theother hand, unless the key used has a bit 31 which is of suchlength and thickness as to be adapted to engage the curvededge 28 of theguard2, the guard 24 cannot be swung to release the notch 26 from thearm, 21. Furthermore, if the bit 31 is not so formed as to width andlength thatv it will also en gage the .lefthand'arm 21, after it hasreleased the guard 24, themember 19 cannot be shifted to releasethe'hook shaped notches 16. Now, according to requirements,

' whether byway of changing the look after,

it hasonce been installed, or, adapting it to the keys used on theparticular railroad on which the stand is provided, the guard 24 incenseguard 24; whose wing27 is provided with a curved edge 28 of proper form,my lock can be used on any switch stand to meet .the requirements of thekeys used by the railroad in question.

This obviates the necessity of making special lock for each railroadsystem and enables the lock to be applied to the leverlof any switchstand, all

thatisnecessary being to provide .a uard 2tadapted to the particular keywhich is to be used,"

hen the key is outof the lock, the member 19 is in the position shown inFig. 2 and is held by the notch 26, the hook shaped latches 16 beingthen in position to lock the tongue 7. If the eye 8. is in alinementwith' the hooks of the member 16, looking will be efiected but, if thelever 3 is in raised position and the parts are in looking condition,merely. pressing down on the lever 3 or allowing it to drop will causethe latches 16 to snap past the beveled end of theear or tongue 7 andthen to enter the eye 8. How

ever, turning ofthe swit'chcan only be accomplished when thekey 3O is inthe position shown inZFig. 3, that is,turned with the bit 31 engagedwith the actuating member 19 to thereby hold the hook shaped latches .16in retracted position. Whilethe key is in the lock, the lever 3 can beraised and turned to rotate the stem 2 andshift the switch. down, orallowed to fall to, the position shown in Fig. 1, the entry of themember 4 in the socket 5 looks the switch in that position. 011withdrawing the key 30 thelever is then automatically locked. If the key30 has been removed before the lever 3 is pressed downwardly, or allowedto drop, locking is automatically 7 effected by" the latches 16 snappingpast the end of the ear or tongue 7 and into the opening 8.

A suitable guard 32' (Figs. 1, 4,6) may be provided for the key hole tokeep out rain and sleet.

WVhat I claim is:

In an automatic lock for a switch stand, the combination with anoperating lever, of a lockcarried by thelever provided with a pair ofpivoted hook shaped locking latches, a slidable operating member havinga fork adapted to engage the tails of said locking latches and alsohaving oppositely extending, angularly arranged arms, said arms oeingpositioned to be directly engaged by the proper key used for operatingthe look, a pivoted controlling locking guard adapted toengage one ofthearms to hold When thevlever 3 is pressed.

ice

the operating member in locked condition, said controlllng guard beingprovided with a free wing arranged alongside the oppositely extendingarms and having an edge positioned to be engaged b the proper key priorto engagement of t e key with the arms and also when the arms areengaged shaped latches.

ture.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa- GEORGE 'A. LAW.

